Sen. Tony Rand is known for his pointed and colorful style. His quips are delivered in a deep, scratchy drawl, and impersonating him is an unofficial sport around the halls of the legislature and at Dome's office.
Over the years, he has provided plenty of memorable lines. "It is blindingly clear," he would often say during floor debates.
Here are some Rand moments:
To Sen. Ed Jones, about Jones' bill this year to regulate possession and handling of venomous snakes: "If we get a cobra loose in Fayetteville, will you come down there and catch it?"
Describing negotiations with prosecutors and defense lawyers over a 2003 bill to require prosecutors to turn all evidence over to defendants: "They argued, they prayed, they kicked, they gouged. ... We bled right smart on it."
Explaining in 2008 that the top issue for then-candidate Barack Obama was not a flag lapel pin but creating jobs, energy independence and solving the problems in the Middle East:
"If we can do those things, you know, he could walk around naked as far as I'm concerned and it would be fine."
Telling why he would not take a question on the state budget in 2008: "Because we're going to adjourn in a few minutes, and that's what it says."
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Explaining in 2008 why he was not concerned that the legislature did not consider a number of bills sponsored by Republicans: "The Republican Party has existed for 148 years. I suspect it can wait until January for anything we didn't do."
Commenting on accusations during the 1988 lieutenant governor's race that Rand was defending drug dealers: "They basically accuse me, I guess, of being a lawyer."
Fencing with a reporter about why a meeting wasn't open: "Because we're trying to determine if there's something we want to do."
Cajoling senate colleagues for not supporting an economic incentives bill: "If it was in your district, you'd be falling down to vote for this thing."
Dismissing questions about whether he wished he had 45 minutes to talk to the governor: "Oh, man. If I spent 45 minutes talking budget talk, my head would hurt all weekend."
Discovering from a televised documentary that his family tree includes a large branch of African American relatives: "Great God, that's got to be us."
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